Pedro vigil and juaist k ebvueltas



(No Model.)

P. VIGIL & J. N. REV'UELTAS.

SHOAL WATER INDICATOR. No. 389,123.

Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PEDRO 'VlGlL AND JUAN N. REVUELTAS, OF MEXICO, MEXICO.

SHOAL-WATER INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,123, dated September 4, 1888.

'the contact-maker of our improved soundingline. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the cap of the circuit-closer. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cap, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line ma: in Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in all the views.

The object of our invention is to construct a simple and effective electrical device for taking soundings.

Our invention consists in the combination of a metallic vessel, a central tube of non-conducting material, having at its ends electrical conductors, a body of mercury placed in the non conducting tubc,heavy material surrounding the non-conducting tube and filling the metallic vessel, a cap closing the vessel, and an electric cable connected with the cap and with the conductors at opposite ends of the non-conducting tube, all as hereinafter more fully described.

The vessel A,forming the body of the sounding device, is preferably made of cylindrical shape, having an integral bottom, a. The bottom of the vessel A is provided with a wooden covering, 1), which is chambered at its center to receive the socket c, in which is in serted the lower end of the tube B.

The tube B is made of insulating material, preferably of glass, and is closed at its upper and lower ends by disks (1 d of conducting material. \Vithin the tube B is placed a body, 6, of mercury, which is suiiicient to about half fill the tube. To the inner surface of the wall of the vessel A are secured brackets f, which support the plate {1. The plate 9 is provided with a metallic collar, h, inclosing an elastic packing, 'i, which covers and seals the end of the tube B. XVithin the vessel A, surrounding the tube B, are placed lead shot j, which give the device sufficient weight to descend rapidly.

To the upper surface of the plate 9 is secured a hollow cylinder, is, the top of which is apertured to receive the end of the cable O. The cable 0 is looped at its lower end and fastened in the hollow cylinder k by a couplingpin passing through the loop. The conductor m of the cable 0 is connected with the disk (I, and the conductor a is connected with the disk (1.

Upon the plate g is placed a packing-ring, 0, of rubber or analogous material, and to the top of the vessel A is fitted a conical head, D, which is rabbeted around its periphery to re ceive the rubber ring 0, and is bored out conically to receive the tapering elastic packingpiece 1), which incloses the cable 0 and forms a water-tight joint between the cable O and the head 1). The head D is secured to the top of the vessel A by screws q passing through the head into the upper edges of the vessel.

The cable 0 communicates with a battery and sounding devicesnch as an electric bell upon shipboard. The vessel A, with its contents, is suspended and maintains a vertical position below the bottom of the vessel, and when it strikes a reef or high bottom it turns upon its side and the mercury 0 establishes electrical communication between the disks d (1, thus causing the alarm to be given on board the vessel.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1.. The combination, with a weighted vessel, of a non-conducting tube provided with metallic contacts at its ends, a body of mercury placed in the tube and adapted to establish communication between the contacts at the ends of the tube, and a cable carrying electric conductors, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a vessel, A, of the non-conductingtube B, provided with metallic disks (Z cl, the mercury-filling e, the shot 3', the plate 1, the head D, the packing-ring 0 and packing p, and the cable 0 and conductors m a, substantially as described.

PEDRO VIGIL. JUAN N. REVUELTAS.

Vitnesses:

W. H. BROWNE, ALBERT SHERWIN. 

